Death's Apprentice
by Vincewind'sTaylor
Summary: A 'butter fly effect story' set in the Harry Potter world where 'Death' goes to Godric's Hollow to collect his souls and is surprised to find that Harry and Tom didn't die. Death decides to use Harry as his instrument to get the rest of Tom's soul. AU. Dialog heavy. HP/LL/HG/GD/GW Eventual Group Marriage. Not a harem. Play format.
1. Chapter 1 Prologue part 1

Harry Potter Death's Apprentice

Author's notes Edited 8/31/2014

Warnings: Rated M (NC-17?) for a reason. Underage sex (13+), intimacy, bdsm; off-screen character death, language. If these offend you, skip this story.

All H.P. Characters belong to the rich lady in England.

I checked the internet and found " s/5282929/1/Harry-Potter-and-The-Apprentice-of-Death" this is not that story as far as I know, I haven't read it. However there are a lot of ideas taken from other fan fiction stories. Where I remember where the idea came from credit is given, otherwise I'm sorry I did not give appropriate credit. The idea for the relics of fate comes from the book "The Three Fates" by Nora Roberts, the luck of the fates comes from there also, as far as I know the rest of it's mine. Death and the Rite of AshkEnte comes from the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchet, specifically the bits with Rincewind in them.

Idea's swiped from "Partially Kissed Hero."; Luna is related to the Darlings (Peter Pan, Wendy Moira Angela Darling is her great x ? grandmother), the Sands (Babes in toyland, Tommy Sands and Mary Contrary, x? Grandparents, gypsies, elves, etc, Christmas / toy maker fey?), the Liddells (Alice in Wonderland, Alice Pleasance Liddell, and her sister (Luna's aunt / great aunt?) Edith still lives and can travel to wonderland and back, it is a fey realm),

The five horsemen are an out take from Pratchets books also.

Mort is death (Terry Pratchet); Ares is war(greek); Artemis is plague(greek), Erra is famine(mesopotamina), and Eris is chaos(greek).

Thanks go to my new editor JS for some corrections, dialog, descriptions, and ideas on all of those things.

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Prelude:

Location: Godric's Hollow.

Date: October 31, 1981.

Time: 15 minutes till Midnight.

A hooded female figure stands in the shadows of the Potter cottage at Godric's Hollow. She appears to be holding an odd three sided statue in her hand, the side closest to her is a woman with one eye and a pair of shears. The statue blinks. The figure disappears. The roof of the cottage explodes outwards.

BLINK

Location: Death's abode. A stone adobe hut, gray on black, with a slate stone roof, sitting in a black field, the grass surrounding it is black on black.

Time: The Space between one blink and the next.

Fate: "Damn it DEATH there were only supposed to be two deaths tonight, not three. What happened?"

Death: "You know Atropos for being in charge of cutting threads in the weave, you should pay more attention to the shears. There were two deaths tonight."

Fate: "Bollocks! I saw the life leave James and Lilly Potter and Tom Riddle turned to ash! It was supposed to be just James and Tom! What happened?"

Death: "You botched your prophecy, it wasn't fulfilled."

The statue turns, a woman with a spinning wheel now faces the one called fate. Fate: "WHAT! I've never botched a prophecy, it's not possible for me to!"

Death: "Take it up with the boss then Clotho, not me. I just do the work. You spin, you measure, you cut, I just collect. No one who's time has come has ever escaped me. You should realize by now though that prophecies are doggy things, even for us, and no one not even you knows what they mean until after they've been fulfilled. Maybe the boss knows but they sure don't share that with _me._"

Fate: "I'm _FATE _ damn it! Gods tremble before me, mortals bow to my whims in fear, all is within MY domain!" The walls shake, Fate's voice surrounds Death seemingly coming from everywhere, an invisible storm of noise battering against Death's body as she yells.

Death: "Ah ha ha ha. That's rich! Make sure you tell the boss that next time you see them. You know very well that **I DO NOT ANSWER TO YOU**. Neither does the boss. You were not here before the spark, and will not be after the last light is extinguished. Think what you will, but the truth is."

Fate: "The truth is WHAT?"

Death: "It just is. Nothing more or less."

Fate: "DAMN IT! This gets me no where. How do I fix this catastrophe?"

Death: "Oh, you want advice do you? I can't offer you any, generally speaking you're above my grade, power wise. Besides which, it's your prophecy. If it can be fixed, you have to fix it. That's if it's even broken."

Fate: "What do you mean, not broken?"

Death: "Look, what do I know about prophecies? Go ask the Delphi Oracles or something."

Fate: "You know better then anyone that I can't allow the dead to help the living."

Death: "Well, the last time I helped the living it was a disaster, two out of three of the idiots failed their tests miserably. One didn't even live long enough to have children, which is the basic rule as you know. There must be balance, life leads to death, death feeds life. Botched the plan for the Hallows up but good."

Fate: "So you won't help me?"

Death: "You're not listening. BALANCE! I can't help you! There must be a balance, as you very well know."

Fate: "Then how did you get the relics of death into the mortal world?"

Death: "Murder, suicide, and life. Plus the boss approved it, thought it was a good idea at the time. It didn't hurt that you needed to control all three of them to hear the voices of the dead. Only the master of all three, the master of death, can bridge the veil. Was a good bet that the three brothers wouldn't join the relics together, and they did not. For two of the relics, only their children can master them, any in their line. Antioch Peverell's line died with him, but that relic is passed by conquest, not blood line. Then again, he was murdered. I still don't know if that was the bosses plan all along or if the conquest of Antioch caused that relic to change how it was passed. They won't help you though, they're not your relics and you can't interact with them."

Fate: "You could though."

Death: "What would be the point?"

Fate: "It'd help me fix this mess, you know the bit about three dead people?"

Death: "I told you, there were only two dead people. I only escorted two souls to their earned places."

Fate: "That's not possible, there were three bodies!"

Death: "No, you said two bodies and ash."

Fate: "So? Ash, body? What's the difference?"

Death: "You know the price for my expertise, one act of death for one act of fate. Balance."

Fate: "Fine, I'll owe you. Just tell me so I can try to fix this."

Death: "A mortal realm dweller watching Tom Riddle turn to ash would not be able to see Thestrals still. Contrary to what the mortals might think, it is not the body dying that allows for the sight of my horses, or watching the life leave the eyes. It is actually watching the soul leave their plain of existence."

Fate: "So?"

Death: "Seriously? You can't put it together? What is wrong with you?"

Fate: "Damn you I've never botched a prophecy before and still don't know how I botched this one or what the boss is going to do about it! "

Death: "Fine. Tom Riddle's soul did not leave the mortal plain of existence."

Fate: "Ghost? That shouldn't have botched the prophecy."

Death: "No."

Fate: "Then what blast you!"

Death: "Disembodied spirit."

Fate: "But that means..."

Death: "Yes, he made a horacrux. Well, at least one, anyway. His soul is tied to their plane until it or they are destroyed and the spirit exorcised, he regains a body and dies of old age, or he regains a body, the horacruxes are destroyed and he is killed."

Fate: "So he is outside of your grasp and you allow this?"

Death: "Mortal magic allows this. The Flamels are outside of my grasp as well. One is _good _and one is _evil_ for mortal values of such things. Balance you see. They will both come to me eventually. The Flamels probably will not be reborn as some are, they have earned their rest. Riddle on the other hand... I doubt he will like were I escort him to eventually."

Fate: "So you will not help me even for his soul which is out of your reach?"

Death: "Why would I? Time means nothing to us. His soul will be processed in due time, even if it waits till the end of the mortal realm, that span of time means nothing to me."

Fate: "I'm desperate for the boss not to find out I botched a prophecy, it'd be the first and I doubt they'd let me allow more out. Oracles and Seers long to be heard, and their souls must be processed the same as any others. I can not allow them not to be, and if they are not it would be my fault for failing them in the weave."

Death: "Still, why ask me to help? What could I possibly do?"

Fate: "Potter is the last heir of the youngest Peverell brother. He has one of your relics. Help him and you could get it back."

Death: "Not worth it, the boss wanted them in the mortal realm, I'm not going to mess with their plans any more then you will."

Fate: "You said the boss wanted there to be a mortal master of death at some point, right? Why not now. He has one of the relics, and may be entitled to another his line if the line of Cadmus Peverell has died off."

Death: "So he'd still be short the third. He'd need to win it from it's current owner, that's typically been done via killing in some fashion. I will not force him to tarnish his soul that way, it is not my place. My place is to escort them where they belong, not entice them to another."

Fate: "I could intervene so he doesn't have to kill the owner."

Death: "I won't use the act of fate you owe me for that. You'd have to address the balance yourself."

Fate: "Fine! What do you want!?"

Death: "One act of fate per Riddle's soul fragment. If he only has one, you'd owe me two. If Riddle has I don't know, four, you'd owe me five, and so on."

Fate: "Do you have any idea what that might do to the balance?!"

Death: "You came to me for help, if you want me to try to get your prophesied one to be the master of death so that he can breach the veil and ask those on our side about the prophecy or prophecies that's the deal. Otherwise take it up with the boss."

Fate: "Fine. What now."

Death: "Now, I need that first act of fate. I need him to become my apprentice."

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Edited 8/31/2014


	2. Chapter 2 Prologue part 2

A/N - All standard disclaimers still apply. It's a bit late and some parts are spaced in a particular way, and it's a bit shorter word wise than it looks. More story and less author notes this time.

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BLINK

In the in between world where the gods reside FATE did decide to provide a new prophecy for her chosen ones. In a chateau in France, the seer attached to the Vela matriarch was gifted with said prophecy. In Ottery St. Catchpole the great great great granddaughter of Cassandra, mistress of the Moon, was so gifted. Her aunt who was holed up in a tower in Hogwarts was cursed with it. She was drunk at the time and would be forced to repeat it randomly until someone both heard and understood that it was a prophecy. Finally, in London, in an ancient manor home with a badger carved into the door, the grand-mere of the house and family is also cursed with the knowledge, and receives it while attempting to pass on important family lore to her daughter. "This book cannot be passed to you, even though the statue can. You must pass it to your daughter. It is important. Teacher her everything I have taught you, and tell her … and in a voice not her own, a voice from the distant past were gods still walked the earth with men, she says 'Child of Prophecy

and the Brother of the same

Bane of No man

Except the one without a name

Proof against Manipulators

Even the one standing tall

The instrument, the focus, the seer,

First called, first blooded, first win

Luck shines brighter, within

The Knight, Sorceress and Queen

Balance the others between

Life and death, light and dark,

Pure Evil and Good,

make their mark

together they stand or fall

Luck, life, death, Instruments all

Love together or fall'

The shock kills her.

BLINK

#4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, England

A baby wrapped in a blue blanket in a basket sits outside on the porch of #4. The baby has a lightning bolt scar and the blanket has a letter attached to it. A being that looks like a Dementor walks up to the baby. "You must be the chosen one in Fate's prophecy. Well, let's have a look at you then. A warming charm, a notice me not charm, some tracking charms, a blood ward tie... hang on now. That ward's tied to a mother's sacrifice, that's ancient magic. Fate is really going to owe me for this one, nothing's supposed to interfere with a sacrifice made out of love. Riddle must have made more than one horacrux, just one would have been overwhelmed by that love based magic. What else then, magically bound core, no that won't do. Blood ancestry suppression … what in the name of all of the realms? You can't be pregnant, first of all you're a boy, secondly you're way to young. How did you get a second soul? Well, everything else can be fixed at home, that must be fixed here." The figure's eyes glow a pure gray, like fog in bright moonlight. "Well hello Riddle. I didn't expect to be able to escort you to your new home so soon. I begin to see why the prophecy was not fulfilled." The figure draws a

scythe, shrinks it to the size of a scalpel and cuts the lightning bolt scar open with it. A hand that appears to be nothing but bone comes out of it's robes and is set on the babies forehead. The hand pulls back from the baby and draws a black and green mist with it. An unearthly scream echos hollowly through the night. "You know what those books of dark magic don't tell you Tom? When you split your soul, each fragment is judged separately. That means I do not have to wait to take you to be judged." The figure twists it's boney hand and the black and green mist forms into a ball. A second twist and the ball of mist flies into what looks like a saddle bag that abruptly appears on it's should. A third twist and the scythe disappears. It raises it's boney fingers to the open hood and an almost unheard whistle echos forlornly through the landscape. A gray glowing Thestral appeared on the horizon, banked, and landed in the yard of #4. The figure threw the saddle bags on then tied them down. It picked up the baby carefully with one hand and climbed aboard. After settling the basket in front of it the boney hand reached out, petted the Thestral, and whispered in it's ear. The Thestral ran a few steps, jumped and flew off into the sky.

BLINK

Location: Fate's Domicile

Time: The Space between one blink and the next.

A gray cloaked figure walks up to the hooded female figure that stands next to a spinning wheel with a woven pattern flowing into the distance out of sight.

Fate: "What now DEATH?"

Death: "I've already started setting your prophecy right and thought you'd want to know. When I went to get my apprentice I found that Riddle's attempt earlier caused a fragment of Riddle's soul to embed itself into your chosen one. I've already escorted the fragment to it's judgment."

"I suppose you want you're next act of fate for your apprentice already then?"

"No. Riddle must have split his soul into multiple parts. As far as I know no other mortal has done that. Not even Le Fay was crazy enough to try."

"So?"

"So, he's going to need help. More help then I can give him, once he goes back to the mortal realm when I'm doing training him as my apprentice I can't interfere any more then you can. Well, unless someone is crazy enough to try the Rite of _AshkEnte_."

"And?"

"And it'll need to be Mortal help. I know you have three relics as well. I suspect that they're already in play or you wouldn't have hounded me about mine. I want you to twist the weave a bit, bring the holders of your relics into contact with my apprentice and let them lend him the boosts from the relics."

"Do you have any idea what you're asking? Those relics are bound to the maternal lines! They can not pass to a man! That means the holders will have to bond to him through marriage or magical debts!"

"Damnation FATE! You came to me for help. Harry is going to need the luck blast it! Didn't you hear me? Riddle split his soul and anchored the fragments more then once! It had never been done before in Riddle's mortal realm cause no one else was crazy enough to try! He's soul is so unstable that it broke off into your chosen one! Riddle bypassed a prophecy, that's never happened either! The end of the realm is not upon us, and believe me I would know, so it's not that magic is unstable, which means that Riddle is either being aided by dark forces on our side of the veil, or something else just as bad! Add in the fact that breaking a soul in the fashion that Riddle did makes the breaker mentally unstable, and that he did it twice on purpose and we've got trouble we could reasonably take to the boss!"

"FINE! However I will not force them to bond, I must leave such things to Chance. All I will do is twist the weave some so that they come into contact and there is a chance that they'll help each other. I can not make the holders of my relics instruments. There is already one of those for me in the mortal realm."

"I know. I'm worried that's what it'll come to for me. I don't want to Make Harry an Instrument if I can help it. We might not have a choice, but like you, I must at least leave that choice up to him. As a possible master of the hallows he'd be the best choice though. Not that I'm happy about it. There has never been an instrument in the mortal realm for me."

"I know. I'm sorry old friend. Maybe I should just take this to the boss anyway."

"You know they know. If they thought we were going to make things worse they'd have come to us. Just put Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis in play if they're not already. We're going to need the help I think."

"It's done. You make me tired, you know? All of infinity to weave, measure, and cut, and you manage to make me tired."

The gray cloaked figure looks at the weave wending it's way out from the wheel, and notices a kink in the thread.

"Fate? I've never known you to kink the weave before. That will cause a death before it's time."

"You wanted the statues in play, there is a cost."

"You can not make the cost death! You know better!"

"With all of your talk about balance and you baulk at this? It is balance! The death of the seer will trigger the gifts of her daughter! The moon goddess demands this, not I. Selene would have it no other way."

"Her mother or the goddess?"

"Either, both! It doesn't mater! The mother will not request an intervention even though she knows what is coming. The goddess... she might accept a trade. However the soul to be traded must know the cost and be willing. Selene knows the price and will not ask anyone else to pay it!"

"You should not have let the mood goddess interfere in your space, just as I did not allow you to do so in mine"

"I had to!"

growling "FATE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

broken "I used the moon goddess to get my relics into the mortal realm."

"And you're forcing the mortals to pay the price!?"

"I gave them a choice! Selene decided to pay the price to keep the others from doing so."

The gray glowing figures eye's turn golden.

"You're messing with a soul bond? She will have to go through the entire cycle of death and rebirth again! Her journey is almost over! Do you have any idea how much havoc this could cause?!"

"What would you have me do? The relics are in play, the cost must be paid!"

"Keep your act of fate for this soul. I need the soul more. The judgment and reckoning for this piece of Riddle's soul will have to wait."

"You would break the sanctity of judgment?"

"Riddle will still be judged. There are at least three more soul fragments. I'll just ask that the moon goddess send his soul through a new cycle instead of Selene's. Balance, a soul for a soul, both un- judged, one that deserves to be at piece and one that does not, but might be sent back to try again anyway. At least one of the fragments might. You never know. Some murderers are reborn to try again."

"Death... I..."

"Forget it Fate. The cusp for that death is only five years from now. That's barley a blink of an eye for us. I've got work to do. Next time... I'll go to the boss myself."

"Death wait!"

BLINK


	3. Chapter 3 Entire the Butterfly

A/N: All standard disclaimers apply. I changed Luna's mom's name to Selene Celest Lovegood from Pandora. To be honest Pandora fits better with her actions but I'd already named the character based on the moon theme prior to finding out her name according to Pottermore. Please note that Rowling revealed that some material on _Pottermore_ was written by her exclusively for the site and was not part of her original notes. I've included my first foot note. Please review.

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BLINK

Location : Dark side of the Moon:

Time: The Space between one blink and the next.

A glowing white female figure sits lotus style on a flat pure white rock. She appears to be made out of nothing but washed out white light, everything in the light lacks color. She appears to be sleeping while sitting.

Death: "Selene I need to talk to you."

A voice that sounds like it was made by a clarinet whispers out "I only respond to my worshipers, I do not have outside powers like you, Fate, or Chance."

"Selene I know Fate made some kind of deal with you so that's just not true. I already threatened Fate herself with going to the BOSS. Please don't make me do so."

"The Old High One Azrael has no power here until the end times, this is not the end times." (1)

I didn't say my boss, I said THE boss."

"I rank on the same level as them, you know that."

"They can override you if you're tinkering with Fate's domain."

"I did not. The mortal came to me, Fate came to me. I did not go outside of my domain. I did not do anything _they _can override _me _on."

"You are messing with a mortal soul, that is my domain."

"The mortal offered to pay the price in place of another. They saw the cusp you are trying to prevent. Their offer might help."

"You would allow a soul bound couple to be rent asunder and possible never be rejoined until the end days for this?"

"One is better then many. The cusp is... I can not tell you. You are in play. Your apprentice is in play. Fate is in play. I am in play. The seers are in play. More then one soul, or even soul bonded couple, is at risk. Darkness approaches. The balance of light might not."

"Figures."

"You know, fate would have asked."

"I know better. The balance of light might not balance, as in might not balance out the darkness, which means basically the end days will come sooner then expected. I was here before the spark, and will be here after. I know what happens in between. You do not need to explain things to _me_, goddess."

"Then you know I should not help you, it will impact the balance."

"I have something to address our side of that, a fractured soul. The balance would be better served sending that back through a cycle then a soul bonded one."

"It would address the balance. However, the moon child must be unstable or untrained. She must not be able to control her gift or if she gets captured all will be lost. The relic of fate makes her more stable, therefor something drastic must happen to cause her to crack. Her mother would not leave her untrained unless she was unable to do so. As long as she lives she can train her daughter."

"What if fate's chosen offers her protection? If he offers the protection of his house and family, as my apprentice I could help protect her."

"You must be careful Mort. To much interference by our side is just as bad as Riddle winning, in the end. The accounting... well, you know better then any of us."

"I expect my apprentice to become the master of the hallows. This is allowed. As you said, fate's relics are also in play. If they join together the accounting will be satisfied as long as the balance is kept."

"A master of the hallows? A mortal master of death? The cusp for our side comes?"

"Maybe. My apprentice is bound to two out of three of the hallows, and he's only fifteen months old. One by blood, one by blood and conquest. The last can only be won by conquest, so the balance will be kept."

"You will give him a choice? Allow Chance to play out their hand?"

"I must. He's a guardian soul though. I suspect I know how it would go even without my influence. In this case though, I am allowed some as he is my apprentice."

"I will allow it then. The mortal did not ask for it, it will not have to be accounted for. You must intervene on the day of Selene's reckoning though. I can not unless she asks, and she will not."

"Thank you moon goddess. May color find you."

"May life find you, Mort."

BLINK

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time: Morning, November 1st.

A young woman is inside the Rook changing a baby girl that looks like a miniaturized version of herself, blond hair and grey blue eyes. She appears startled half way through the job and looks at an empty section of the room.

"Death? I know you are there, it is not time for you to visit us yet. The moon goddess assured me that accepting my fate would not alter the time I had with my daughter, only my husband. The balance will be maintained, there is no reason for you to be here."

Death: "Selene Celest Lovegood, I am not here to collect a soul. In fact I was hoping to make a deal with you, an extension of the moon goddesses offer, more or less. You may know that normally I only directly interfere with the death of children who have had no chance to move forward their state in their cycle. Your offer to the mood goddess does two things. It puts you back into the cycle when it should not, and more importantly for my direct involvement, it leaves other parents with their children so that those children have a better chance at moving forward. I can and will intercede due to your willingness to sacrifice for others. It is one of the most potent types of magic."

Selene: "And the price? The cost I was asked to pay, who would pay it instead? I can not ask that of another."

"I have a fractured soul that will pay it. The rest of the soul will still be judged accordingly. That soul is why we are at cusp. There is still a cost you must pay, and possibly your daughter, though I think it's a much lower one. However I should warn you that mortals and those of us on my side of the veil tend to view those things differently. The fact that you were willing to start over at the beginning of a soul cycle instead of taking your justly earned rest and reward shows me that, if nothing else did."

"It seemed like the least painful way, the way to add the most good and still maintain the balance."

"I can't comment on it being that or not. However that is not why I am here. There is another option. This is most secret though, you will not be able to revel it until it's due time if you agree, if you do not then this conversation never happened."

"I see no reason not to listen, at least."

The room glows gray for a moment, every surface covered with the color.

Death: "I picked up an apprentice. My first. He will be given the choice to become an instrument, and he already has it in him to be a master. The problem is he is just a baby, and I can not raise him. I offer you a safe conclusion of this cycle for you and your bonded mate in exchange for raising him. Your residence and grounds will be safe for the family as if he was your own. I hope he makes friends with your daughter. However."

Selene: "The price? This sounds like to much."

Death: "There will still be an accident. Originally it would have happened when Luna was nine, now if you agree it will be when she is six. She is one now, correct?"

"Yes, but why?"

"Balance of course. She will have five years of love and friendship, and five years of loneliness knowing what she had lost. You as well. You will not be able to have any more children this cycle. My apprentice will leave you after the accident. However you and your blood and bonded will live through it. You would not have before, the others would."

"You would leave her friendless?"

"No. I must train my apprentice. He will leave with me sometime during his sixth year. When his identity comes out I'm afraid her other friends will abandon her for keeping it a secret. There is always a chance that things will not happen that way, in which case the balance is still addressed and kept."

"And just who is this apprentice I am taking into my home and possibly our hearts?"

"You will know him and refer to him as James Evans."

"How will that alienate her friends?"

"His real name is Harry Potter."

"The boy who lived? The defeater of 'you know who'?"

"The defeater of Voldemort, yes. You see why his real identity must not get out? Why I offer your family sanctuary of the strongest sort?"

"O?"

"Blood wards. Any one of evil intent coming here while James considers this his home will not be able to harm you."

"That's powerful magic. The trigger?"

"A mothers sacrifice. Not so different then what you were willing to do. Do you see why I think it might be a good fit?"

"Five happy years for five lonely years though. And when she goes to Hogwarts?"

"Send her his first year if you like. I hope they become friends again. Though I would hope you try to keep her nature a secret. Seers have trouble following them just the same as James will."

"Your protection does not extend to that?"

"It is not my realm Selene. Seers and oracles long to be heard, even if none believe them. I can only protect the family while James lives here, if you accept him. If he accepts you it will extend till his maturity as long as he feels this is home, or at least a home. At Hogwarts it is up to them. If he offers his protection it invokes mine. Well, it might. He must accept being my apprentice, he is to young currently. Luna must accept the protection as well, in what ever form it is offered. I can not force him to offer it. I hope living with you will ground him, but if he offered a concubine bond and she accepted it there would be nothing I could do except acknowledge it. You know some magic can not be tampered with except by the invokers."

"A concubine bond? Do you really think things could be that bad during first year?"

"We approach a cusp. It is not given to me to know when the wave breaks. That was the worst case scenario I could think of. I mention that one because if she offers it, and he accepts, they must consummate it for the protection to be extended. Most elven year olds are not physically capable of doing so, so the protection would not kick in until they could. The problem is the rest of the bond is enforced upon agreement of the two parties. I'd suggest a betrothal contract but I will not force what will in effect be my son into one."

"You plan on using the old Master apprentice laws?"

"They are laws because they follow the magic. If he agrees he is protected and must try to learn all he can and find some way to pay me back for my effort. The trouble is many masters abused their apprentices so it fell out of favor. The magic is still there and the laws are on the books."

"What about a contract with an out clause?"

"It'd have to be an iron clad contract with an improbable out. Otherwise we could not act like the marriage was all but completed. I would not force the issue, even if I could. Life must find it's own way."

"You would leave the fate of a chosen of the goddess to chance?"

"What choice have I? What choice have any of us really? James will need love, but it must be freely given. He'll need allies, but he must earn them, along with trust and respect. Luna must bond to him of her will, and his, or the magic won't work."

"It's a lot to risk."

"If you accept you'll already have more then you would have otherwise. This way you'll be there to help her, the other way you would die when she was nine."

"Alright, chance it is then. I'll take him and love him to the best of my ability, and hope that he offers protection to Luna when they reach Hogwarts."

"Thank you Selene. Remember, he's James Evans for the next five years. May light, love, and life be with you."

BLINK


	4. Chapter 4 Accidentally? Married

A/N Belongs to JKR and who ever she sold the rights to. Only the plot, such as it is, is mine. I'm not particularly happy with part of this, I added some 'at home' scenes trying to show life at the Lovegoods and so far they are my least favorite part of the story. Please review. It'd really help with this chapter. I also took out some scene breaks for the at home scenes at it's meant to show time flowing smoothly , the scenes are just snapshots mostly, I hope it works as intended. Also, Luna was born on October 31st of 1980 for this story. She's only 3 months younger than Harry. Footnotes again. Currently un beta'd.

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Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; Later that night:

Selene puts the two kids in the bath together. James splashes a bit with his hands while Luna kicks her feet in the water and splashes James. It quickly turns into a game were they try to get each other as wet as possible. Selene, the floor, and the rest of the room end up soaked.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; The next day:

Selene starts a routine that carriers forward through the years. She changes the kids together, feeds them together, watches them play together. Reads to them both at bed time and they fall asleep together. Not wanting to disturb them she leaves them together in a railed bed so they don't roll out.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; A year later:

The two kids are at breakfast, Selene is trying to convince them to feed themselves, now that they're older. They decide instead that it's more fun to feed each other, and make a bigger mess. Selene and Xeno laugh at their antics. Selene looks worried though. She found them in 'their' bed together again this morning. She hasn't been able to convince them they have to sleep in separate beds. They always ask 'We never have before, why should we now? The bed is big enough for both of us." They also still refuse to bathe separately. She's not to concerned at their current age but when they get older? Though with James leaving maybe she shouldn't worry.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; A year later, midsummer:

The kids are playing inside during a heavy summer storm. The storm lessens to a light shower. Luna asks if they can go out and play. Selene responds "No, you'll get your cloths all wet and muddy." Luna asks 'That the only reason momma?" Selene thinks about it, and decides to say yes. Luna strips to her skin and runs out to play in the rain and mud. James quickly follows. Selene just shakes her head, knowing they'll bathe together later anyway. The next day she finds them playing outside in the sun, naked. The animals from the nearby forest seem more accepting of them then when they were out earlier in the week clothed. Soon they're always playing outside naked, at least in the back garden, field, pond and forest, where no one can see them. Selene realizes she's always had trouble keeping Luna clothed inside, also. What Luna does, James does.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England; Family Druidic ritual circle:

Time; A year later, midsummer's night, the solstice:

The three Lovegoods and James stand in the circle together sky clad, as the solstice ritual requires. This is the first time that the kids are old enough to participate. None of the four appear shy about being naked around the others. Xeno performs the ritual, and asks for the blessings for both families. James looks confused, and after the ritual asks why they are two families instead of one, since he's lived with them for as long as he remembers. Xeno explains that he's not related by blood, nor married into the family at this time. Luna lights up and asks if she can marry James and make him hers, and part of their family since he has been as long as she remembers. Xeno explains they're not old enough, but that he does love James like a son. Xeno doesn't say no though.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole:

Time; A year later:

Luna and James are sitting in a faery circle, listening to the fay. One of the fay is an odd looking creature with a squished horn on it's head. It intones "I am a Snorkack, currently the oldest one in this circle, the wisest at this mound. I was asked by your other fay friends to give you advice. Normally anything from us comes with a price, but you did not ask for this, or anything else, except friendship from the younger fay. They like you, and enjoy the games you play with them. For them, I will tell you something I would not normally. Beware, the balance is at stake in this cycle. You walk a razors edge of trouble, danger, and death. To much death is always bad, to little death in this case will be just as bad. Some must die, and you may be called on to kill them. Do so at your earliest chance, this will keep them from doing more damage. If you find that **you** should kill one, do not give them a chance for redemption. Others, those wiser may, but your best chance to right the miss-spun weave is to provide true justice, even vengeance if called upon. Luna, I am sorry child. For the best result you must share your life mate. There are two others he needs, he must let them into his heart as he has you.

It is your choice, child, friend of the fay, but I think he will need them to do what must be done. I think you will need them to. I can not say if they will love you, either or both, I can say that they might. I am sorry child, instrument of fate, moon maiden, beloved daughter. Though a pact was made, this advice was given freely, no additional burden may be placed upon you. Try to love them, as you love each other. Love as best as you can, being not fay, not real fay."

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Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time: four and a half years after James was left at the Lovegoods.

Two children sit at the edge of the woods, in an in between place. Half light, half shadows, half woods, half fields, half now, half... some time, some place, … **else**. A blond haired fay looking girl, a black haired 'normal' looking boy, though power seems to fill the air around him. The girls scoops up a handful of air and sets it on her shoulder.

James: 'I still can't see the nargles before you scoop them out of the air. Though I don't have trouble after you do.'

Luna: 'I don't really seem them, I just kind of know they're there and hear them chatting with me and figure they'd be more comfortable sitting. They seem to like my shoulder. Even being related to faeries apparently doesn't make them that much easier for me to see. He says it'll be soon now. You're going to leave me.'

James: 'You know it's not my idea. The debt must be paid. You know I've looked in the shadows, and you've asked the fey, there doesn't seem to be another way we can use. This way is our way. We're not old enough to use the magic needed for some of the other ways, and the fey that are strong enough to do what's needed, well we don't have anything we could trade that we're willing to lose. I'd rather give what some of them want to you, though we're not old enough. You've been my friend for the years in this place, and I would not leave you if there was another way. I'd rather your mother live then stay and have her die though. You've seen the weave, the paths converge and diverge and a cusp is coming. I need you and you need me and we'll need others. I would not share otherwise."

Lune: "There is enough of you to share. I don't mind so much, my only other friend is a going to abandon me when you go, I can see it. Her mother wants you for her daughter and would not share. She has no claim or power here though. If you do not give it, she will have no power over us. No power over me. The instrument of fate will not allow it. I am as protected as can be, for now."

James: "Come to the castle when I do. I will protect you, you know my families protection would be enough. We could use a betrothal if your really worried. I don't know what to do about the third one though. I will not willingly enslave one, even if being an instrument myself allows it. It would protect you though, but only till my death, not beyond it like the other options. The bad men must not get you."

Luna: "You know I love you, as much as I can at this age. What do you suggest?"

James: "Promise to love me, as long as I love you. My might to yours, my magic to yours, my protection added with yours, souls bound till rebirth. One life, one chance. We know there are two more but we don't know who they are. This could be our only option. I love you as much as I can at this age also. I'm worried it'll be different being forced apart for as long as we will have been together."

Luna: "You know I'll be lonely, with only mother to comfort me"

James: "WHAT! I thought your father was supposed to live to? Luna what did you DO?!"

Luna: "Please don't be mad! He has a chance, more then your parents did. I saw a fork in the weave and … I want to be first! I don't want Her to have you first! Your mine first, but but but bu b bb b b b."

The boy draws the girl into an embrace, hugging her close.

James: "Luna, don't cry. You are first, what are you on about?"

Luna: "I I I saw a chance for us. For me to be first. You wouldn't ha ha have asked for the betrothal so I couldn't have gone to the castle with you. I I I we we went to the moon goddess and offered to be a moon maiden for the lonely years your going to be away. It wasn't enough, you would have gone without me, and saved Her creating a debt that she would have paid when she found out about it. She would have been FIRST. I know I have to share but I want you first! MINE!" She cries and cries, the boy can not comfort her.

James: "Shhh, I'd have waited, you had only to ask dearest. But you must pay the price, you know we're not supposed to meddle with others choices, why did you drag your father into this?"

Lune: 'I di di didn't. He of off offered. He heard me bawling after the moon goddess refused my plea for you. He wanted to tip the scales in my favor. I told her I'd only do it if he was left with a chance. Momma would have had a chance. Not a big chance, to be sure, but before your father intervened she still would have had a chance or fate could not have changed her path. I think the balance is addressed by daddy having the same chance momma did. Momma will take better care of me so I thought the trade was worth it, if I get to be first in your heart."

James: 'You already are silly moon child."

Luna : 'I wouldn't have been after you saved Her and six years apart.'

James :'This might change things significantly. I'll probably have to swear to her as well, at least offer house protection. I don't know how that will work if your in the castle with me. How will we build a relationship if ours is already public? Most non druidic folks think one life mate is all you can have. On the other hand I don't want to have to lie to them either. I guess we'll have to make the best of it."

Luna: 'You can always pull the heir card.'

James: 'I'd hate to use our trump early, though we might need the castles help very early on anyway, so it wouldn't really hurt. Are you going to be ok? Can I help with your father?'

Luna: 'He knew the risks. You offered what I wanted. I will pay the price, whatever the cost will be.'

James: "Luna.'

Luna: '?'

James: "Come on, you know that's not what I asked. **Can** I help with your father?'

The blond haired girl seems to lose focus, looking off into the either, a shimmering image of a female silver statue briefly appears in her hands. With an otherworldly voice she says

'You could aid, you could harm, the balance of fate and chance is on a razors edge for that cusp. The willing sacrifices for the good of prophesied one teeter on their stack.' She appears top come back to herself.

Luna: 'Was that any help?'

James: "Not really, the balance is on a razors edge and … I don't know."

Luna: "I don't blame you, I'd never blame you, you never had a choice, and rarely have a chance. And I, I love you James Evans.'

James: "And I love you, Celeste Darling."

Luna: 'How did you know my matriarchal line?'

James: "You have fay blood. The last of the faerie lines were the Darlings. You're blood runs true, you have the sight and the third eye inherent. You can see the flow of magic, and you can see the fay. Those are not the only fey realm relatives you have. You taught me to see the nargles, Casandra herself couldn't have done that. You see the magic, I was taught to see the blood. I can see bloodlines, and how the power inherent in a line, if any, is passed down. All of the power of your lines is available to you. Using it all however is … probably … not ... wise. The same is true in my case, I could take up the mantel of two lords, however... it'd be better if the next in line in the bloodline took one of them. All power has a price."

Luna: 'Only two James?'

James: "That's hard to answer. If it went uncontested I could take up … umm … seven, I suppose. Maybe eight. However, one's a death sentence, one no body would believe, one I can't talk about till the first Monday in September the year I turn eleven, one the current lord could have an heir though it's unlikely, and the other four, well, it'd be better if I only took one of those. Honestly you're in line for one of those four as well, closer then I am in fact, via your mothers side of the family. The problem is most wizarding laws changed so that things like that don't pass from mother to daughter, it's a matriarchal line though, by magic it can only pass to a daughter of the house, which in this case is you. Magic would let me be regent, but I couldn't claim the title, it'd have to pass to my first born daughter as soon as she was old enough, if I have one."

Luna: 'You could take it up anyway, and have a daughter with me. You know I asked to marry you, the same day I promised to rub bacon all over myself because you liked the smell. (1)

James: 'If we married you'd have to take up the mantel of that ladyship, the magic would demand it, the line was set up as matriarchal. As you could take it up without marrying me, marring me and having a daughter wouldn't help as far as the magic is concerned, you'd still have to take the title. And you know I want to, I'd promise if I could, but my life is not my own, you know.'

Luna: "I KNOW! Don't you think I **know**? I can see the cusp, the forks, the turns you might make, and it **hurts** that it might be better to let Her be first. I love you now, I need you now, she doesn't even know you exist yet. Please Ha … James. Let me bind myself to you and even your purpose if you must, but you **first**!'

James: 'Will you swear to keep my secrets? Maybe our secrets? Even if you can't be first in my life or even my heart? I can swear to bind you first, obviously, and protect you to the best of my ability, and my families, come to your aid, your families aid, and love you as much as I am able. I would swear the last without your oath. I can not promise you will always be first though dear heart. You know I wish I could. As long as I draw breath in this body, I **will** come for you at need.'

Luna: 'Only in this body James?'

James: "Luna, I do not have your sight, I do not know when, or if I will be reborn. I do not know what the next life holds. My father... had to make some serious magical contracts to get me healed as a baby, one of which was with your own moon goddess. You know she will call the debt due, even if it hurts one of hers, in this case, you. I can not swear this world and the next, I could only promise my line to protect yours, but if you bind to me it'd be the same line so ..."

Luna: 'I know. I'm sorry. I love **you**. I will swear. I swear on my life and magic not to reveal any of your secrets.' A flash of magic speeds from her eyes to his.

James: 'I swear my life and line to your protection, and the first piece of my heart to you. I Harry James Evans Potter swear to bind your secrets to mine, your life to mine, your heart to mine, as long as this incarnation of us exists, at your will, your choice, so that none can rend us asunder, not even you, or me. Your heart, your choice.' Magic swirls around him, then her, scarlet and gold, silver and green, blue and bronze, yellow and black, then out of the colors come animals, lions, eagle, badgers, snakes, ravens, auguries, griffons, then knights on horse back, and finally a ghostly image of a basilisk, swirling and coating them both in every color while the animals slither, romp, fly and play around them.

In a fey voice, ethereal, otherworldly, not entirely there somehow, Luna responds "I Luna Celeste Darling Lovegood swear to bind my power, my magic, my might, my sight, my body, love and soul to you, Harry James Evans Potter, in this incarnation and any others we might meet in, my life for yours, my heart is yours, in any way that you can take it, as soon as you can make the binding complete, I **AM** yours! SO MOTE IT BE!" Her eyes go gray, then silver, the magic swirls higher completely covering them, obscuring them from view, just before they disappear a crazed look covers her face. "March wooden solders again! WE know why the red man is red! WE command the cards, WE will carry the Vorpal sword into battle again, the Jabberwocky will answer OUR call. The fey will once again cause havoc and chaos to mortal men. Oberon! Titania! The fey realm will be restored! This moon maiden and fey goddess commands it! The price was paid, sanity made scarce for generations, the pact is called DUE! This **I** chose, this fight is **mine**, I am bound to you of **my** will. My choice, my heart, from this moment on, are yours."

The magic explodes outwards, shimmering like snow in the air, the colors are washed out, the children go silver, then fade till they can be seen through, and disappear entirely, fading in and out of reality. A sword and armor appear, then a chess board with odd pieces like a grinning cat, then a wooden solder, a silver flute, a deck of cards, another sword, a bow, staff, ring, diadem, locket, then finally a golden cup, all fading in and out of visibility or reality. A clarion call rings out, with no apparent source, and galloping hooves striking the ground can be heard. Off in the distance a dust cloud rises up, with four horses bearing man shaped creatures rushing towards the pair of kids. At a 45 degree angle, there but not there, seen but not seen comes a fifth. 'Ta-rah Ta-rah!' Rings out the horn. The horsemen get closer and swords can been seen being carried by them, engraved with Mort, Ares, Artemis, Erra, and Eris. The five horsemen intone: 'The time is not now, what is freely given can not be taken away for payment. Their deaths are not yet, their binding will hold. Choice was offered, love was given, life will prevail.' The horsemen as one, pull their swords and slice them through the air above the couple. Color bursts back into them, the pile of items solidifies. Power hums in the air. "They are the light, they are the life, duty and honor bound. Love guides them, love binds them, none shall break them without their will. The prophecy can still be fulfilled.' The five ride off in all different directions, when they hit the horizon the clarion call rings out again. "Rah-Rah, Rah-Ta! Ta-Ta-Ta-Ta!" Just as the five disappear a silver trumpet fades into existence on top of the rest of the trinkets. The light fades as the two seem to slumber on.

B ... L … A silver statue of a woman shows up in Luna's hand and shifts around by a quarter turn. She stirs. … I ... Silver light from the statue glows on Harry, he stirs. … N … the light gets brighter, the two shift, struggle to wake, then touch their lips together briefly. Gold light shoots forth from their lips covering them, then the garden, rookery, and expands into a circular dome. With a sound of steel being torn apart, the magical chains that had appeared on the dome break free. It expands a bit more, then stabilizes. Inside, a new chain forged of gold links is formed between the two children, from her heart, to his ring finger. Once the last link forms, the chain disappears, and the golden dome fades out. … K

BLINK BlInK bLiNk bbbbllliiinnnkkk blink blink blink blink blink blink blin bli bl b

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Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time: Five Months and Twenty Seven Days later.

Luna: 'It's almost time James.'

James: 'I know beloved betrothed. Call for me, and I will come. At least your mother understands. I'm sorry about Xeno. The binding changed so much we could easily save him, but he does not want that. I don't understand why. The price was paid. His debt was met.'

Luna: "My debt was not, and now it can not be. It transferred to you and you can not pay it, so he will in my place. The binding was not supposed to do that. It does not mater, I will be there. I love you, and will see you in my dreams until … well, you know, until. I'll be there."

James: "I love you. See you then. You know when.'

The boy fades out, leaving behind a silver mist for a moment, then even that is gone. The girls eyes go cold.

(1) (A/N: My son (who is 5) actually had a girl who is in child care with him (she's 8) say something very similar to this, bacon and all.)


	5. Chapter 5 Training with Death

A/N Belongs to JKR. I make no $. Fencing competitions start as early as 11 years of age. Olympic Gymnasts can be as young as 14. I'm adding that specifically because of when age wise Harry is training and what he is training in. A Shinto is an antique type of Katana, typically approximately 40 inches total length with a blade length of 27 inches or so, weighing 1 lb 14 ounces. I picked it for two reasons, one it was one of the lightest blade weapons I could find that weren't basically knives, and two I like Japanese culture, etc, and this type of sword started with the letter S, which admittedly is a dumb reason to use it but still, I figured Salazar would be vain enough to pick it for that reason. I've tried to show how dull, monotonous, and repetitive training is, hopefully it didn't make it unreadable. Please review.

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Location: Death's abode

Time: Between Breath's (Sometime after James left Luna)

Death: "Head me my apprentice. Because you will be more powerful then most, maybe all of the other mortals, you must be careful. Do what is needed, not what you can. Try not to let your true power show, as having a bit left is a good surprise for you but not who you might end up fighting. You will be able to do some that no one else can, but remember, this is true for others which means some will have powers you do not. Practice your sight, however, for advice I would say do not teach it to your betrothed. You think we would not know? It was a close thing, I thought I would have to break your betrothal, however her mother agreed in principle, and it was enough. You both chose to roll the dice of chance, and it was enough. I must warn you though, you will need at least another, maybe as many as five more. That will be hard on you all. The daughter of the moon can see who would best fit, which is why I advise you to let her see what she can without your obstruction. Her sight is trouble enough without adding yours. We, you and I, must see to balance the scales. We must hope your training is enough. Seek the instruments, trust the fates, and love, love as best you can. I know I'm not a good teacher for that, so we must hope that the love you received these last years will be enough. You, you and her, **must** accept the second first when you show yourself, or roll the dice of chance again. Her life hangs in the balance, **she** has told you so. Be careful my apprentice, my son. The first cusp is almost upon us and there is only a razors edge between love, and death for them all. While death is the balance to life, as there can be no life without death, there must *be* a balance. This is why babies and young children are automatically given another chance through the cycle of life. To much death will bring ruin. To little death will also. You know the balance, and can see if a soul is working towards redemption. Redemption is a strange thing son, it can not be given, it must be earned, and the earner must want it, sometimes more than they want anything else. The soul will show if it is truly trying to earn it. Punish the wicked if you must, protect the innocent if you can, and uphold the balance. Now, practice with the staff, sword, and sythe. You will need all three along with your wand before you are done."

Harry starts to run every where he goes, trying to build up some stamina. Playing with Luna in the woods seems to have helped. Swimming in the streams, hiking the mountain paths. Still, lifting a sword, even as light of one as a British Hunting Sword (1 lb, 11 oz, or .88 kg) leads to exhaustion fairly quickly for someone that has never had to try to fight with one before.

Harry runs to the closest outbuilding, a low long hut that seems to disappear into the distance. Once he enters the door he finds stacks of swords, staves, scythes, slings, bows, quivers of arrows, pouches of shot, and pole-arms of all descriptions. Death is there, waiting to train him in any of the weapons, whichever are his favorites. The lightest first. Stance, footwork, parry, dodge, lunge, riposte, feint, Passata Sotto, Remise. An hour, then rest. Repeat. Water, a light snack. Practice, practice, practice. Muscle memory is needed. Muscle mass is needed. Start with rattan, then move up the weight of the blades. One day, Death shows Harry an enchantment. A saber with a raven etched into the handle.

Death "You will be fighting in the mortal realm with magic users that speak Latin, so this weapon might be a good fit. Stand back and watch." Death whispers over the blade, with a voice that carries even though the volume is slight, "punga". The saber flies from his hand, attacking the closest training dummy. Whack, thwack, thump. "subsisto". The saber stops, and floats back to Death's hand. "It attacks by itself, your skill isn't such an issue in that situation. It's also a good training tool as it will not try to kill, just disable." Harry "I'm still working on Latin, father. Was that attack and ?" Death "Stop. Strange how the Latin word is so much longer, still, it was enchanted when that was the primary spoken word in the area I was made. In dire straights, use 'punga mortem' instead. The blade was designed as a training blade, and was never meant for war, however that enchantment was added after the maker used the blade to save the life of his daughter. He'd hoped his daughter would never need it and she didn't. Her son did though. He did not live to learn the way of the sword. You must." Running, swimming, sword practice, parry, thrust, practice, practice, practice. Staff fighting, evasion, deflection, blocking, striking. Spin, sweep, thrust, strike, block. Eat, sleep, practice. Eat, sleep, run. Eat, sleep, fight. Every night, he dreams of Luna. Once a month he checks on her using the mirror of souls, an item that lets those who have passed on watch their loved ones from Death's side of the veil. Once a year on the day of their bonding, he goes to see her to renew the vows. Harry waits for Luna to call so they can try to save Xeno, but time doesn't seem to pass the same way on Death's side of the veil. Death tells Harry about his dad, and how he fought with honor and distinction in someplace called the Falklands. How one battle was so bad only two people walked out, and Death walked with them. Near the end of the training, Death hands over an antique Shinto. "Harry, please take this with my blessing. These past human years you have worked hard to be worthy of the charge I have given you to unite the Hollows, the instruments of Death, and collect the fractured soul of Tom Riddle. This Shinto will help with that. It was made by a superb master craftsman, one of the best that ever walked the mortal realm. It once belong to Salazar Slytherin and is yours by right of conquest, as is his house, lands, treasure and chattel. It will come to your side when summoned no matter the distance. There is a basilisk etched on the blade, and it was once said that to see this blade bared was to see death. His house has fallen into ill repute, and Salazar asked if you might try to work towards at least the redemption of the blade. Lastly, before you once again spend the majority of your time among the living, while there please refer to me as father. You and your allies are welcome in my house at need. You are welcome any time. Be well apprentice, and go forth."


	6. Chapter 6 Meeting the Grangers

A/N All H.P. Characters belong to the rich lady in England.

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Location: Kings Crossing, Outside Platform 9 3/4s

Time: September 1st, 1991, morning.

A young boy, dressed as Mr. Darcy would be from "pride and prejudice", stands waiting near the portal for the hidden magical platform waiting for Her. He checks every person that walks by, everyone that enters the portal, anyone on platform nine or ten. After about thirty minutes he spots a young girl with brown bushy hair, wild ringlets causing it to have an untamable quality, as she gets closer he notices her chocolate brown eyes, and oddly perfect teeth except for the top front two. A glint of silver catches the sun from somewhere. Her and her parents look around, appearing to count the columns so they can determine which is the one for the portal. The boy steps forward, as he can see the magic swirling around the girl, and a considerably smaller amount around her mother. There is almost none around her father.

James: "Can I help you, miss? You appear to be looking for something? Maybe something that most people couldn't find? I can help, if you like. My name is James Evans."

The young boy notices the girls father, conveniently wearing a shirt with Crowley's rugby shirt.

James: "You play rugby sir? It's a great social sport, isn't it? You remind me of a team captain from the RAF team, Captain Granger? Do you know them? You could be their brother."

Dan: "I used to play but it was ages ago, I can't imagine you're old enough to have seen me in action. My name's Dan, by the way, Daniel Granger"

James: "Pleasure to meet you sir! My father used to take me to all the games, as young as one I'm told. I don't remember it so much, but he tells me you were one of the best, second only to a guy by the name of Potter. I'm told he had the nickname of Brigadier, I had to look this up as it didn't make sense to me, turns out it's a type of general. My father said he never lost a match or came out less than even in an engagement. He seemed to think Potter playing with you had something to do with it."

The man looks wary now. Dan: "I don't know about that, I just did the best I could."

The boy looks at him sharply. James: "And earned an award for it to, I'm told."

The man looks sharply at the boy now. Dan: "How do you know about that?"

James: "My father told me about it. I wasn't sure it was you sir, or I'd have done this a different way. I was given a chance to balance a debt, you saved a life there, at great risk and not small cost. I can promise to watch over and protect your daughter, if you but ask it. I've been training to do so the last five years. The choice though is yours, yours, your wife's, and your daughters. The level of commitment on your families part plays a small role in how much protection I can offer. I can grant house protection if she will swear not to reveal the name of the house. If you read **all** of the paperwork for her schooling, you know the headmaster acts 'in loco parent-is' as they say, as her De facto guardian. I can do so in your stead, at your behest. I can swear to look out for, and promote, her best interest. The power of my house in not insignificant."

Dan: "Why would you do all that? Based on that paperwork it's a lot of benefit for us with little gain for you, without more of a behest on our side."

James: "A number of reasons. One, no mater what you think, you did earn what you feel you didn't. More importantly for me, you saved my dads life, or so I'm told. My father explained it to me."

Dan: "You're …. James' son? I was told he died."

Looking sadder now, James says: "Right on both sir. October 31st, of 91. I was adopted by someone that cares for me though, and am happy with the arrangement. Because of the cultural differences I was able to be emancipated for legal reasons prior to attending the same school your daughter will be attending. This allows me to offer the protection and aid of my house if a sufficient debt of the house exists. As head of house, I and … err... our cultural heritage determines what is sufficient. As you saved the life of the then heir, my dad, I can offer almost anything that falls within the power of my house. I can not however offer things from my adopted fathers house without an appropriate debt from myself or their house. Kind a lot to take in, but the dice roll again today."

Dan looks startled: "What?! Today?!"

James gives him the steely look again: "Riddles first gambit to return starts today. The offer has been made. The choice is yours. The dice roll today. Even with an oath, there isn't more I can tell **you**."

James looks at the woman briefly, then at the girl slightly longer. : "Rugby isn't the only thing that can be played by the RAF. They also play **instruments**. You might even say that fate herself lends our **boys** a hand."

The woman looks shocked, the girl curious.

James looks at Dan pointedly : "And who is this vision of beauty?"

Dan looks startled, then realizes he hasn't introduced his family. : "I'm sorry, introductions escaped me. This is my wife Emma, and our daughter Hermione."

The boy approaches the woman first, taking her right hand and kissing it between the first and second knuckles. James: "A pleasure to meet you. I see where your lovely daughter gets her beauty from. Also her grace."

Emma looks startled at the grace comment. Emma looks thoughtful, then whispers "You know about … that?"

James, also whispering : "Aye, I can **see** the statue has been passed from mother to daughter, but not the knowledge. Otherwise I would not have said."

Emma, still whispering: "Would you stand in my stead for this?"

James : "Alas, I can not. Almost anything else I would do for you Lady, but that torch **must** be passed from mother to daughter, or it will go out."

Emma : "Betrothal, bonding? Companion, Champion?"

James : "Any or all, provided she agrees as well and it is informed consent, except for the last. The last I can agree to at your behest alone."

Emma : "So, it's all true then? What my great grandmother told me?"

James : "Aye Lady, I wish it were not so. I risk my first love today, but the dice roll no matter what I do, so I must weight them as I can."

Emma : "I will pass the torch of knowledge, and you will act as her Champion. Pax?"

James : "Not here, come through the portal first. Then."

Emma nods. James turns to the girl, "Hermione, fair lady, winters queen of Sicily, might I lead you to your destination to the best of my limited ability?"

The girl giggles, shocking her parents. Hermione : "Do you know where the silly platform is? We couldn't find the number given."

James : "I do fair lady, and if I might take your hand, I will lead you."

The girl blushes, then after looking at both her parents and getting small nods, pushes her hand forward. James takes her hand, and kisses it between her first and second knuckles, causing her to blush some more. The boy then takes her mothers hand and leads them through the wall to platform 9 3/4s. James nods at Emma and says : "Pax." A burst of blood red and old gold light leaves him and enters both Emma and Hermione. A burst of yellow and black light leaves Emma and enters Hermione then James.

James says in an odd two tone voice: "The house of the griffins offers troth, protection, sanctuary, and companionship to the house of the badgers. As you requested it, so I mote it to be, champion till Pax is broken. Your part **must** be done by midnight on her next naming day, or Pax is broken."

Emma responds in the same two tone voice : "We have an accord."

The light fades out. James seems to slump a bit, and Emma almost falls over, she appears to stay standing via sheer force of will.

James looks at Hermione: "Fair winters maiden, please wait here with your Matriarch, I will bring your father through momentarily."

The boy heads back through the portal to platform 9 3/4s to get Dan. Once through the portal he rushes over to him. James : "Dan, we don't have a lot of time as I told your wife and daughter that I'd fetch you. I need a minute alone with you though. My dad served with you, I figured you might have thought that was the case but I needed you to know. The magical world has some dangers specific to it that I can help protect your daughter from, if you let me. As her de facto head of house, I need your permission for some, and hers for others. I can promise not to do anything she doesn't want me to unless her life is in danger, then I might have to do something she'd protest about. What I needed to ask was, would you swear a vassal oath to my house? It's normally sealed with a betrothal however the two of us do not necessarily have to do that, it could be our kids or grand kids even. This allows me to extend the protection of my house to you and in this case more importantly her, as long as she does not take direct action against my interests. I ask now as a crux is coming, a decision point where the outcome currently balances on a razors edge and if the seer I know is right your daughters life hangs in the balance. We're not sure when, but the threat is soon, best intelligence is sometime between today and when she returns for Christmas break."

Dan "How good is your intelligence?"

James "Excellent. This particular probability falls into the 89 % range."

Dan "What would you require of her?"

James "As I said, the only requirement is that she not work against my interests. I don't know her yet, I just know she's important, and needs to be protected. Anything else that happens will be at her request and her pace. If that means nothing, fine. Be aware though, based on the intelligence I've acquired if it means she wants to be hand-fasted to me before coming home for break I will honor her request."

Dan "Best guess on the likelihood of that?!"

James "50/50. If her life is in danger and IF I save it, her magic will react creating something called a life debt. She might react as a big sister, or she might want to pay the debt the traditional way, with marriage. Multiple marriages while rare are legal in our realm."

Dan "Any way that might happen?"

James "Don't ask a question you aren't sure you want an answer to. Remember I said it IS legal in our realm. Now, Dan Granger, head of the Granger family, do you accept my offer of protection to your house, in exchange for your house becoming a vassal to mine, to be sealed with a marriage no more than three generations from now unless one of our houses die out or we both reconsider?"

The world seems to hold it's breath.

Dan "I do accept and swear to uphold the vassal oaths as long as they do not conflict with my oaths to the queen and country."

James takes his hand "Come through the portal for this part, can't let anyone see."

James leads Dan through the portal. Once inside he leads Dan next to his wife. James "Sir Granger, head of House Granger, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, do you agree to the vassalage of your house in consideration of the protection of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter and all of it's allied houses, in particular the protection of your blooded daughter by the sword arm of House Potter during the entirety of her schooling, from all threats no matter their nature, this alliance to be sealed with a betrothal as early as this generation and no more than two additional generations from now, with the understanding that this offer is made in this fashion due to the life debt that my blooded father incurred upon your saving his life?"

Dan "So that's why your offer was so open ended and so much better than what was in the books we bought Hermione. Who is the sword arm of House Potter?"

James "I am. I will answer her call, if required. As the heir to one of the lordships of the six original lords of this realm none shall gainsay my right to do so, no matter her status, nor yours. They risk forfeiture if they do. Only one of the other five original lords could contest. Emrys has passed into history, Le Fay with them. Ravenclaw is allied through marriage. Of the three left, I have vanquished one in mortal combat granting my all rights, privileges, and assets. I am the closest blood heir to one, and the other, well I really don't think they will object." James looks at Dan, then Hermione. Dan "As Head of House Granger, I accept on behalf of myself and my family. I am aware of the chance this presents, and as long as the choice is given, accept the consequences that might arise. Pax."

James seems to settle some, and slump again, sadly, resignedly, says "May your daughter not need our aid. The call will be answered if she does, even at the cost of mine life. As the sword arm of House Potter I accept the charge of her safety. Pax." An eldritch wind rises around Dan and James, then surrounds Hermione. The ghostly light reaches out from Hermione to Emma. Red and blue light flows around Dan, Hermione, and Emma then into James. Red and gold light, then Blue and Bronze, then green and silver light flows around James and into the Grangers. James appears completely exhausted, Dan and Emma look like they might fall over any second, while Hermione seems to be energized by the influx of magic. James looks at the time, "We should hurry. Hermione I beg your indulgence until I have time to speak with you. Please forgive the rush. For now, please take this, wear it always. It must be touching your skin to work." James hands her a silver necklace with a silver knight on horseback wielding a sword charm on it. Hermione "Help me put it on?" James "Lets load your trunk and find a compartment, then I will. Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, good day. The door out is just there." The elder Grangers leave via the portal. James helps Hermione onto the train and they find an empty compartment near the back. James stores their trunks and looks at his watch. "A friend of mine should be meeting me soon. I hope you like her. We should have a few minutes first. I'm sure you have questions but please, the necklace first. It's a token of the binding of the agreement. I'll explain. Still, you'll be safer with it if you're not with me." Hermione hands the necklace to him, and lifts her hair off her neck. James carefully drapes it around her neck and fastens it. He whispers "Impervious". James "Okay, first. If you need me, if you're in any kind of trouble, particularly life and death trouble, while you're wearing that necklace say 'I need a hero.' and I will come as fast as I can. If it truly is life and death, and you doubt I can make it in time, say "Swordsman Arise!" and the knight on the charm will come to life and fight for you until he is defeated or I can get there. Be warned though, you can call for me as needed but the knight can only be called for once. Also of note, I can not make another of these charms for you without a sacrifice on your part. The life debt my dad owed your father powers this charm partially."


End file.
